New anti-suicide features to be installed on iconic Golden Gate bridge

The stunningly beautiful Golden Gate Bridge has been one of the deadliest landmarks in the country -- but local officials took new steps to change that this week.

On Thursday, lawmakers and other officials came together to commemorate the installation of new security features designed to deter a rash of suicides.

Authorities in San Francisco have discussed new measures to bolster suicide prevention on the Golden Gate Bridge for years.

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Golden Gate bridge construction

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Golden Gate bridge construction

Picture dated October 1935 of the Golden Gate bridge, in the San Francisco Bay, during its construction. Construction began on 05 January 1933 and the bridge was inaugurated 27 May 1937 by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who pushed a button in Washington, DC, signaling the official start of vehicle traffic over the Bridge. Idea of the engineer Joseph Strauss, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world. (Photo credit should read OFF/AFP/Getty Images)

circa 1935: One of the stanchions erected in the building of the Golden Gate bridge, connecting Marin and San Francisco, casts a shadow over houses at its foot. (Photo by General Photographic Agency/Getty Images)

circa 1936: The twin towers of the bridge spanning the Golden Gate strait in California which will support a roadway between San Francisco and Marin County. (Photo by General Photographic Agency/Getty Images)

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco during its construction. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

circa 1936: The 'Santa Clara' a ferry belonging to the Southern Pacific line sails under the first structures of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco. (Photo by General Photographic Agency/Getty Images)

Chief Engineer of National Parks Frank Kettredge with his chief counsel George H Harlan on the Golden Gate suspension bridge in San Francisco. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)

March 1937: The base of the south pier, one of the pillars supporting the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)

Picture dated 1950's of the Golden Gate bridge, in the San Francisco Bay. Construction began on 05 January 1933 and the bridge was inaugurated 27 May 1937 by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who pushed a button in Washington, DC, signaling the official start of vehicle traffic over the Bridge. Idea of the engineer Joseph Strauss, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world. (Photo credit should read OFF/AFP/Getty Images)

Setting roadbed sections in the fog during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California, October 29, 1936. (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images)

UNSPECIFIED - OCTOBER 23: Golden Gate Bridge Under Construction At San Francisco In California-Usa On October 23Rd 1935 (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

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The process launched this week will lead to the installation of 20-foot-wide, stainless steel nets that extend along both sides. They will eventually be built 20 feet below the bridge's walkway and 200 feet above the water's surface, according to KNTV.

Construction is to be performed largely at night in an effort to minimize traffic interruptions. The endeavor is expected to take about four years to complete and cost roughly $200 million, notes TIME.

While that issue has been resolved, it is still not entirely understood why the Golden Gate Bridge draws so many people intent upon ending their lives.

Some have suggested that the beauty of the structure and ocean below appear to many to be a fitting place for the final act. Others point to the bridge's easy access and barrier that stands only four-feet high.

Intervention efforts by bridge patrol personnel have proven partly successful. In 2016 alone, they were able to prevent about 200 people from jumping.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, 39 people successfully committed suicide at the bridge in 2016.